To help readers get to know top NBA draft prospects, Insider offers a 360-degree look at many of them in a concise and thorough scouting report featuring three experts' perspectives: Kevin Pelton (analytics), Fran Fraschilla (scouting) and Chad Ford (NBA front offices). Here's a look at Mario Hezonja.
WARP Projection: 1.5 (32nd among players in top 100)
Comparables: Evan Fournier (97.5), C.J. Miles (96.6), Sasha Pavlovic (96.1), Monta Ellis (96.0)
Strengths: 2P%, Shooting
Weaknesses: Usage, FTA%, TO%
The analytics perspective
After playing sparingly for FC Barcelona the past two seasons, Hezonja has grown into a key role this season at age 19, giving us enough data to project him to the NBA. While Hezonja's translated statistics suggest he can play competently right away, they don't necessarily indicate star potential.
The biggest red flag in Hezonja's statistics is how infrequently he gets to the free throw line. Hezonja has attempted just six free throws in 417 minutes of ACB play this season. His free throw rate has been far better in Euroleague games (24 in 339 minutes), but still Hezona's projected NBA rate -- 4.2 percent of his possessions -- is the lowest among potential 2015 draftees. Generally speaking, players with such low free throw rates tend to be limited to smaller roles. The only NBA regular in 2014-15 with a free throw rate below 5 percent and an above-average usage rate was Avery Bradley of the Boston Celtics.
On the plus side, Hezonja figures to be efficient with the shots he does take. He's a strong 3-point shooter (better than 40 percent between ACB and Euroleague play) who is also highly effective inside the arc. Hezonja is making 57.5 percent of his 2-point attempts against Spanish competition. His projected NBA 2-point accuracy (47.6 percent) ranks second among perimeter players in the top 100 behind Wisconsin's Sam Dekker.
If teams are realistic about Hezonja's skill set, he has the potential to be a part of a good team in the NBA.
-- Kevin Pelton
The scouting perspective
Hezonja is the only player in this draft that is capable of winning an NBA dunk contest and an NBA 3-point contest someday.
He is an outstanding offensive player who plays with supreme confidence. Sometimes it seems he plays with too much confidence, but, as a coach, I'll take that any day of the week. And that confidence makes him a terrific prospect because it combines with his unique combination of athleticism, size and skill level for an NBA wing.
The 20-year-old Hezonja -- he turned 20 on Feb. 25 -- has been one of the best players in the world in his age group since 2011, though, until recently, there has been a lot of unfulfilled promise.
After signing with powerful FC Barcelona in 2012 as a 17-year-old, he has had to remain patient playing very little behind some of the best players in Europe. That has changed this year as his playing opportunities have grown.
At 6-foot-8, Hezonja possesses that coveted combination of athleticism, offensive skill level and age, which has attracted the interest of NBA teams. Recently he became only the fourth player in ACB history to shoot 8-for-8 behind the 3-point line in a game. In fact, he is currently shooting better than 40 percent behind the arc in both the ACB and in the Euroleague.
Hezonja will have little problem fitting in to the NBA athletically. At 6-8, he has the positional size for a shooting guard or a small forward and handles the ball well enough to create his own shot. But while he does not finish at the rim well, fearlessness is not the issue. He also has a tendency to force tough shots because of his extreme confidence.
Hezonja has, in effect, already been a pro for a number of years playing with professional teammates and receiving professional coaching, so his adjustment to the NBA will be easier than most college players. For example, he has been schooled in screen-and-roll basketball and already possesses good acumen for a 6-8 player who can handle the ball like a point forward.
Hezonja does not always do his work early on the defensive end. He gets caught flatfooted often in help-side situations, is a poor closeout defender and can be posted by physical wings. But when he is engaged, he has very good defensive instincts. He reads passing lanes well and often moves to where an offensive player is leading his teammate with a pass and comes up with the steal.
Maturity has been an issue at times for Hezonja but much of that can be attributed to his youth and a competitive nature that should eventually serve him well. He definitely plays with a chip on his shoulder. If he comes to the NBA with more questions than answers and is willing to learn what he does not know, the chances for a smooth adjustment will be easier. But he is a major talent.
-- Fran Fraschilla
The front-office perspective
Hezonja spent much of 2014 ranked as a lottery pick despite the fact that he rarely played for his team, FC Barcelona. However as the 2014 NBA draft neared, scouts began to get cold feet and ultimately Hezonja decided he was better off returning to Spain for another season.
It paid off. Big time. Hezonja finally started seeing regular minutes on Barcelona and scouts got a much deeper look at who he was as a prospect. He has been firmly in our top 10 all year and many scouts believe he might be the best wing talent in the draft.
While his numbers this year are modest: 8.4 PPG in 16 MPG -- what scouts see is an athletic wing who can stroke it from 3-point territory as well as put the ball on the floor and finish at the rim. When he gets regular minutes, he's aggressive and plays in attack mode. And his experience playing for an elite team in Europe means he has faced tougher competition night in and night out than any college player on our board.
"I really love him," one NBA scout told ESPN. "I love Winslow too. But I really think if this kid was in college we'd all be going crazy for him. He's tough, he's athletic, he shoots the s--- out of it. And the kid just knows how to play. He's going to be really, really good in the NBA. He's the first wing on my board."
Most teams have Duke's Justise Winslow ranked ahead of Hezonja, but look for Hezonja to go somewhere between the sixth and 10th pick.
-- Chad Ford